1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is devices utilized in toilet water reservoir tanks which enhance the flow of water into the toilet bowl following a full or partial flush of the toilet to assure the proper standing water level exists in the bowl for the next flush.
2. Description of the Related Art
Inasmuch as many parts of the United States, and especially the West and the Southwest regions, experience water supply shortages, it has now become very popular to conserve water by reducing water usage. To this end, the toilets found in residences and businesses are being modified to provide for a smaller flush, i.e., the water reservoir tank is being reduced from a five gallon water capacity to a two to three gallon capacity. In addition, many devices and inventions are coming forth which permit the user to effect a partial or "mini" flush of the older larger capacity type toilets wherein only a portion of the water held in the reservoir tank is utilized for the flush. Experience tends to indicate that a partial flush operates satisfactory for liquid wastes, however, in most cases, a partial or "mini" flush is not always satisfactory to remove solid wastes. Accordingly, many of the devices which provide for a partial or "mini" flush also provide for a full flush, the choice being made by the operator at the time of use.
One such device is shown in my prior United States Patent, namely U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,144 entitled Water Saving Device for Toilets. This invention permits selective manipulation of the toilet tank handle to permit a portion of the water contained in the reservoir tank to exit the toilet tank for a partial or "mini" flush or, to permit all the water of the toilet tank to exit into the toilet bowl for a full flush. The partial or "mini" flush is accomplished by re-seating the flapper valve upon the valve seat after a specified volume of water has drained from the water tank.
Once the flapper valve has re-seated on the valve seat and terminated the flow of water, the reservoir tank begins to refill by means of a float actuated valve. The float attached to the valve rises with the water in the tank until the water reaches its full level at which time the valve closes.
In the operation of a standard toilet, and specifically in the area of the toilet bowl, when the toilet handle is depressed, water from the tank reservoir floods the bowl and initiates the syphon action of the toilet, removing water, and liquid and solid wastes from the bowl. However, the syphon mechanism is so efficient that insufficient water is left in the toilet bowl to begin the next operation. Accordingly, the water level in the bowl must first be brought up to the pre-flush standing level. The float actuated valve is so constructed that a portion of the water filling the toilet tank is bled from the valve to an overflow tube rising vertically in the toilet tank to a height above the full water level. This bleed water from the float actuated valve is conveyed to the open end top of the overflow pipe by means of a flexible tube. The overflow pipe leads directly into the toilet bowl bypassing the flapper valve seated on the valve seat.
The overflow pipe serves two functions, the first is for safety reasons, to drain excess water from the tank to the toilet bowl in the event that the float actuated valve malfunctions and does not shut off when the incoming water reaches a specified height. By this means, water is drained into the bowl of the toilet rather than overflowing the reservoir tank and onto the floor of the bathroom. The second function of the overflow pipe is to receive the water from the float actuated valve via the flexible tubing in order to bring the water level in the bowl up to its proper pre-flush level.
When the float actuated valve terminates the water flowing into the tank, it also terminates the bleed water which is conveyed to the overflow pipe. In the usual full flush toilet mechanisms, the float actuated valve operates sufficiently long bringing fresh water into the tank so that sufficient water flows into the toilet bowl to bring the toilet bowl up to its pre-flush level. If more water than is necessary to accomplish the task is delivered into the toilet bowl, this extra water exits the toilet bowl into the toilet drain.
One problem with partial flush mechanisms is that since only a portion of the water in the toilet tank is removed during a partial flush, the float actuated valve is operating only for the time necessary to bring the water level in the toilet reservoir tank up to its pre-flush level. This is always a shorter time then it takes to completely refill the toilet tank. As a consequence, less water is ultimately conveyed from the float actuated valve to the toilet bowl than is the case for a full flush, resulting in a less than full standing water level in the toilet bowl. As a further consequence, when the toilet is flushed again following a partial flush, a portion of the water first entering the toilet bowl is used to bring the water level in the toilet bowl up to its necessary pre-flush level before the following incoming water will start the toilet operating its syphon action to flush the contents of the toilet out. This being so, in some cases it may be necessary to follow a partial flush with a full flush, even though a full flush may not otherwise be needed, just because the prior partial flush was not sufficient to completely flush the wastes away.
Accordingly, it is readily apparent that at least a portion of the benefits of the "mini" or partial flush operations of a toilet are being obviated.
In view of the foregoing, it is apparent that it would be useful to provide a simple device which provides for restoring the water level of the toilet bowl to the pre-flush level following the operation of the toilet in a "mini" or partial flush mode.